Folding crate or case.



A. BRAEN.

FOLDING CRATE 0R CASE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY'29, 1909.

Patented Sept. 6,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. BR AEN.

FOLDING GRA'TE 0R GASB.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1909.

Patented Sept.6,1910.

2 sums-51mm 2.

WIT/V5858 ATTORNEY.

THE NORRIS Pz-rsns cu., WASHINGTON, D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AARON BRAEN, OF NORTH PATERSON, NEW JERSEY. FOLDING CRATE OR CASE.

969,455. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 6, 1910,

Application filed May 29, 1909. Serial No. 499,208.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON BRAEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in North Paterson, Passaic county, New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Folding Crates or Cases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists in certain the metallic cross-piece 6 having its ends turned outwardly and forming horizontally projecting hooks. Y

The side wall O comprises parallel spaced slats c secured together at the ends by the cross-pieces 0. The side wall C comprises the parallel spaced slats 0 secured together at the ends by the cross-pieces c The side wall C is of sufliciently less width than the side wall C so as to bring their upper edges at the same level when said walls stand vertical, as in Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

The cover D comprises the slats cZ secured together by the cross-pieces d.

The parts are hinged together as follows: Against the inner face and outer face at each end of each end cross-piece a of the bottom wall A is secured a hinge e, the two hinges in each instance receiving between improveeggs and crate or wil lnsure protection of the contents from th th lower d f one f th Crossdamage, particularly the bottom tiers from pieces 0' r) f th id ll C ((1'), (and the Welght 0f the pp Onesthose for wall C also receiving between them In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved crate or case in its open or expanded condition, the cover or top wall being shown partly open; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the crate or case, it collapsed and a part being broken away; Fig. 3 is a longi- Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, except that the case or crate is shown partly collapsed and the end walls appear in end elevation; and, Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating a modification.

the vertical pieces a fold inwardly,

and they The walls C and C are limited against slats a and a (see Fig. inafter explained. The lower members of the inside hinges e also aiTord hinges f for the end walls B B These walls fold inwardly flat against the bottom and they are limited against outward movement past the perpendicular by abutting against the inner faces of the cross-pieces c and 0 of the side walls C C, as shown in Fig. 1.

4) and also as here- The crate or case comprises a bottom sec- Ordinary hinges g of any kind may be tion A, end walls B B, side walls C C and employed to attach the top wall or cover D a top wall or cover D, these several parts to the side wall O at the free edge of the are hinged to ether 1n the manner to be delatter, the wall D being adapted to fold are provided with suitable means whereby to maintain them in either their open or collapsed arrangement.

The bottom section A comprises the bot tom wall a braced by the cross-pieces a which are secured to its top face; and the upright slats a and a secured at the long edges of wall a, the former being higher than the latter and having secured to its inner face at the ends thereof the vertical pieces a each secured between the slat a and the end of the corresponding end cross piece a, and the slat a abutting against said cross-pieces a.

Each end wall B comprises the spaced vertical slats b braced by the horizontal cleats b secured on the inside thereof; and

against the outer face of the wall C, when the crate is collapsed, and to abut against the tops of the several walls B B C 0 when her of which is a piece shelf Z and folded around the tached to the pin 9'. ported by a tain the con folded fiat against side walls O (Q), th

pieces tons or hooks to ho the walls C C.

A modification is 10 volving a sprin to hold eac wall C (C'), sary. Each tensible by being slats 0 one rigic of w slide.

In Fig. 1 2O cross-piece ofi ends 0 crate is open or exp shelves being down an Z), the end walls movement by the ward movement by 0 the side walls C ward movement by t he loops 8 an the end walls. In order to colla are folded against the side wa the end walls bottom section down against t ing folded back mally ing in t 30 ment by Each shelf Z is adapted to be supcleat I) when in position to sustents of the crate, an

the slats 0 cl it may be (0) of the at is between the crossm denotes turn-butd the shelves flat against shown in Fig. 6 inwhich operates norelf flat against the side making the hooks m unnecesshelf is preferably made exformed of two or more hich has para d to it by clips hich has the clips 1" in w llel pins 79 d the other hich the pins 29 are shown loops 8 secured to the (0 These receive the turned WV hen the l (1, therefore, the d resting on the cleats held against inward shelves and against outthe cross-pieces c and C are held against outhe cross-pieces b engagd against inward movef the cross-piece te, the shelves then ainst the is folded e cover D beagainst the wall O, and

pse the era folded inwardly ag A, then the he end walls, th

affords considerable finally the upper tiers May, 1909.

the wall C is folded down against the To hold the parts in their collapsed arrangement, I provide hooks t pivoted to and adapted to engage eye- A crate or case consisting, in combination, of a bottom section, comprising a bottom wall, end walls hinged to the bottom section and foldable over the bottom wall thereof, side walls pivoted in the bottom section and foldable inwardly, means for connecting said side walls and end walls together at their joints when in their elevated position, and extensible shelves carried by the side against the same, sub- AARON BRAEN.

WVitnesses d that a crate or case constructed in accordance with my invention economy in shipping, since when the crates are returned to the acker a number of them, folded, occupy only the space of one, expanded. Further, when the crate is open the lower tiers of its contents are protected from the weight of by the shelves, which are always attached parts of the crate.

I do not wish to be limited to details of construction, what I claim being: 

